US Hybrid for Hawaii Hydrogen Plug-In Bus

US Hybrid reports a contract from HCATT, the Hawaii Center for Advanced Transportation Technologies, to design, integrate, and deliver an H2Ride fuel cell plug-in shuttle bus for operation by the County of Hawaii Mass Transit Agency’s Hele-On Big Island bus service. updated July 1

25-seat US Hybrid-HCATT ‘H2Ride’ plug-in shuttle bus is built on a Ford F-550 chassis with Eldorado Aerolite 290 body.

The project is funded by the State of Hawaii and Office of Naval Research via HNEI, the Hawaii Natural Energy Institute.

The 25-passenger shuttle bus will employ a 30-kilowatt fuel cell powered by a 20-kilogram hydrogen storage and delivery system. The fuel cell and 28-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery drive the vehicle’s 200-kilowatt powertrain, including air conditioning and auxiliary systems. Onboard batteries are charged by regenerative braking.

Integrated in Honolulu

The US Hybrid fuel cell, powertrain, and vehicle controller optimize power delivered by the energy storage and fuel cell power plant. Key components include and HD30 PEM fuel from Hydrogenics, a 28.4-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery driving a 200-kilowatt AC induction traction motor. US Hybrid will integrate the bus systems at its Honolulu facility.

The bus can carry nearly 10 kilograms of hydrogen fuel at 350 bar/5,000 psi, bringing range to approximately 125 miles (28 on battery alone).

The US Hybrid fuel cell plug-in for the Big Island has an HD30 proton exchange membrane fuel cell by Hydrogenics and a 28.4-kilowatt-hour lithium ion battery.

“My vision is to leverage opportunities like this to introduce clean energy transportation services that utilize our own renewable energy resources to the benefit of our local economy, while helping the people of Hawaii get where they need to go,” Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie says in a US Hybrid release.

Early 2015 Deployment

“This new fuel cell electric bus is the first tangible step in realizing our vision of transforming the County of Hawaii public bus system into one that is powered by our island’s incredible renewable energy resources,” said Hawaii Island Mayor Billy Kenoi.

“Instead of exporting our citizens’ hard-earned dollars offshore, we will be able to keep this money in our local economy creating new jobs and protecting us from the swings of the fossil fuel markets.”

The H2RideTM Fuel Cell Plug-In Shuttle Bus is to be deployed with Hawaii MTA in early 2015.

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